Every year, a number of airline programs and other experts compile a list of best airlines based on various factors. These may include (but are not limited to) the number of delays an airline experiences, customer service issues and amenities offered at 30,000 feet above the world. While I have personally used the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Air Travel Consumer Report as a measure of how bad things are, which measurement shows what an airline is getting right?
AirHelp, a company that specializes in helping travelers get airline compensation when flights are delayed or cancelled, wanted to answer this question from two approaches. Not only did they want to find the best airlines to fly, but they also wanted to discover the best airports to transit through. As a result, they completed their own measure of the best airlines and airports in the world.
Unlike other measurements, their measures were weighed on three factors. The two equally heaviest factors were on time performance and quality of service, which each accounted for 45 percent of the score. The final 10 percent was measured by social media sentiment, measured in a combination of positive and negative comments sent to each carrier.
Which airlines made flying a great experience around the world? It may come as no surprise that Star Alliance carrier Singapore Airlines stole the top spot, with the highest score among carriers of 8.73 out of 10. Airhelp cited the airline’s “solid customer processing score, great on-time performance and a perfect ten for quality of service.” With products like the Singapore Suites, what isn’t to love about this luxury carrier? Middle East carriers Etihad Airways and Qatar Airways rounded out the top three.
Subsequently, Singapore Changi Airport (SIN) was listed as the world’s best airport to fly through, when measured on the same scale. The ultimate differentiating factor between first and second was size: Munich International Airport (MUC), one of my favorite places to travel to, also received 10 points for quality of service, but with over 1,000 flights transiting through this busy hub, it was only able to make it to second place. Hong Kong International Airport (HKG) ranked third.
Now that we understand what makes a top airline and airport, how do their American counterparts rank? Of the three legacy carriers, United ranked the highest with a score of 7.60. Despite the high-profile removal of a passenger aboard a flight, the carrier rated higher for quality of service, possibly in part due to the launch of United Polaris. The Star Alliance standard-bearer for the United States ranked below fellow partners Swiss, Lufthansa and SAS (in that order), but beat Turkish Airlines.
American Airlines ranked in position 33 on the list, with a sore of 7.56. The carrier rated high for on-time performance and claim processing, but was only marginal in quality of service. Delta Air Lines ranked the lowest among major American carriers, ranking 45 out of 87 rated carriers – leaving them nearly statistically in the middle. Much like their counterparts, on-time performance and claim processing gained high marks, but quality of service suffered.
Can American flying still be a good experience? While it may be a challenge, travelers who use their points and miles wisely can still get quality service aboard their carriers – but it may not come from their domestic connection.
How did your favorite airline rank? Do the rankings reflect your experiences while flying on American carriers versus international carriers? Sound off on your experiences in the comments!
Written by Frugal Travel Guy @ http://www.frugaltravelguy.com
Written by Frugal Travel Guy @ http://www.frugaltravelguy.com